Wave-motor



(No Model.) 3 sheets -sneet 1.

P. 0. R'USLING.

WAVE M'OTORL No. 541,631. Patented June 25;, 1895.

Witnesses: i I Inventor.

A'tto rn eyJ.

(No Model.) 3 Shts-Sheet 2.

' F; O. RUSLING.

WAVE MOTOR Patented June 25, 1895.

Witnesses:

Inventor:

Attorneys.

1m: "cams Parks 110., vHUm-uma. wmmewn, n. a

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. 4

(No Model.)

' F. 0. RUSLING.

.WAVB MOTOR. No. 541,631. Patented June 25, 1895.-

@ Maw Inventor. I

Attorney! V Z/A Witnesses:

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORD O. RUSLING, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WAVE-MOTO R.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 541,631, dated J'une 25, 1895.

Application filed June 29, 1894. Serial No. 516,080. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FORD O. RUSLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of wave motors which consist of an oscillating float and moreespecially to motors of this kind in which a number of floats are connected together.

One of the objects of my invention is to reliably retain the float or floats in position by simple devices which do not interfere with the movements of the floats.

The invention has the further object to improve and simplify the mechanism whereby the power derived from the wave motor is utilized for industrial or other purposes.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my invention in connection with a wave-motor having two connected floats, the floats being at rest. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing positions assumed by the floats when in motion. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the motor. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of oneof the floats. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section thereof. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, on .an enlarged scale, of one of the float-shafts. Fig. 7 is a cross-section in line 7 7, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of my improved wave-motor. Fig. 9 is atop plan view thereof.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to '7, A, A represent two oscillating floats, each of which consists preferably of a hollow sheet metal chamber having a body which is oval or cylindrical in cross section and tapering or conical end portions, as shown. Each float is arranged to oscillate on a transvere non-rotary axle or shaft B which passes centrally, or nearly so, through openings formed in the sides of the hollow float, and which is supported in bearings 0 arranged upon longitudinal beams or timbers 0' extending from end to end of the float and secured to the latter by bolts or rivets. The two floats are arranged tandem or in line with each other'and are connected by rigid stay-bars or trusses D arranged on opposite sides-of the floats and secured at their ends to the projecting portions of the float-shafts by a key and feather, as shown in the drawings, or by'any other suitable means, so as to hold the two shafts against rotation. These stay-bars are connected between the floats bya transverse stay D which stiffens said bars. The floats are separated sufficiently to allow them to oscillate without interference. As the power transmitting or translating devices of the two floats are identical, a description of one will suffice for both.

E is a large main gear wheel which is keyed or otherwise secured to the stationary floatshaft so as not to take part in the oscillations of thefloat, and f is a gear pinion meshing with said gear wheel and mounted loosely on a counter shaft f which turns in bearings se cured to the longitudinal beams 0. As the main gear wheel E is-statio nary and the pinionfengaging therewith is arranged on one side of the center of oscillation ofthe float the rocking motion of the latter compels the pinion to ride up and down over the adjacent side of the main gear wheel in the arc of a circle, thereby causing the pinion to rotate to a greater or less extent, according to the amplitude of the float vibrations. This rotation of the pinion is preferably converted into reciprocating motion and utilized for operating the pistons of a number of air compressors or water pumps whereby the power derived from the motor may be applied and stored in a convenient form. When the power of the motor is utilized in this manner, the extent of motion of the primary pinion f is preferably multiplied by employing a second counter-shaft and pinion g and g respectively motion being transmitted to this counter-shaft by a large gear wheel f mounted on the primary countershaft and meshing with the secondary pinion g, as shown in Fig. 5.

H and H represent two sets of air compressing cylinders arranged radially around the end portions of the secondary counter-shaft and having the rods of their pistons provided with cross heads which are connected with crank disks t secured to the ends of said counter-shaft by pitman rods i, as shown in Fig. 4c. The oscillatory motion of the. crank disk thus producesa reciprocatingmot-ionofthe pistons whereby the air in the cylinders is compressed. The air compressors aresupported on base plates which are secured to the longitudinal beams C. These compressors may be of any approved construction, and they are all preferably connected by pipesjandj' with a chamber or tank J whence the com.- pressed air may be conducted to astorage tank on shore, or directly to the machinery to be driven. I prefer, however, to.util-ize the star. -tionary shaft of the float as the. source. from which the compressed air is conducted to the shore. For this purpose a portion of the shaft is made hollow to form achamber K, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and this hollow portion of the shaft is formed with radial air inlet and outlet openings 7:; and k. The portion of the shaft containing the inlet openings is surrounded by an annular inlet chamber l which communicates with such air inlet openings and which is free to turn on the shaft, the chamber being provided'atits endswith stud ing boxes Z to form, a tight joint.

Z is the outlet pipe of the air t-ank, and* Z is a branch pipe leading from said outlet pipe to the annular inlet chamberof the shaft;

m is an annular outlet chamber which sur rounds the portion of the hollow shaft contain: ing the outlet openings and communicates withthese openings. Thisout-letchamberis preferably formed in the cylind'ri'cal' bossat the end of the adjacent stay-bar Dandthe boss is provided at its endswith stuffing boxes m.

m is 'a rigid discharge pipe leading from the outlet chamber m. The air discharge pipes m ofthe two floatsunite in a couplingm, as.

shown inFig. 5, and to this couplingmay be connected a hose or flexible pipe m for con,- ducting thecompressed air to a storage tank on shore.

The primary counter-shaft f-"is preferably provided witha clutch N of-anyordina'rycon struction, asshown in Fig. 5,,so that the air compressors can-be thrownout of'gear for making repairs, or for any other purpose.

By the use of the power t-rahsmittinggeattingherein shown and described, a continuous operation. of the air compressors isiefl ected so long as the floats are oscillated, without? the employment of pawls and ratchetsor similardevices which have an intermittentaction and} which-must beduplicated injorderto produce a continuous action of-the drivenmechanism.

By, pivoting the floats a't ornearthe middle and connecting them by rigidstay-bars, they are reliably retained in their proper-relative positions andthe float pivotsare relievedfrorn twisting or other injurious strains while the floats are at the same time permitted to oscil: late. without restraint. As. the longitudinal beams O support the several shaft bearings and the air compressors they. relieve the shell bottom of the float, thence around one side of j a guide wh. el or pulleyqjournaled upon the fioat-shat't, and thence around the drum 1' of a pony engine or small hoisting machine '3. This engine is arranged on the top of the float and i-nclosed by a dome or housing S having a door 8 for entering the same. The float is formed in its top with openings 3' for the passage of the anchoring chain. From the drum of the hoisting enginethe loose portion of the chain preferably passes back into the float, as shown in Fig. 4. By connecting the anchoring chain with the central. portion of the float and giving it a bearing concentric with the shaft of the float, the latteris steadied at the most effective point and at thesaine time allowedto oscillate with a free and easy jmot-iont In the modified=constructionof m-y improvement, shown in Figs. Sand 9, a single floatis attached by its shaft to theouter end of a rigid bifurcated retaining arm orbar T which is connected at itsopposite endtoa hollow 'post or standard T ri'sing from the bottomof the body of water and projecting above the surface, thereof. The retaining arm is attacheditotheupper end of thispost byaball and socketj'oint '1 which-permits the float to assume aposition athwa-rt the Waves. Inthis case, the airdischa-rgepipe leading from the hollowfloat shaft, is-connected by a balland socket joint: (not shown in the drawings) with 1a branch pipe-u, passing through the hollow postandleading toa-storagetank U onshore. I claim as my invention- 1. In awave-motonthe combination with a ifloatha-ving; a nonrotary supporting shaft rupon which it-isjournaled; of arigid; retain- .1 ing arm-or bar secured-at one end to theshaft. iof the fi'oat', substantially asset forth. E 2. In a wave motor, the combination witha ipairof' oscillating floats, each having a non- "rotany shaft; passing centrally through the same, of a longitudinal stay-bar or bars-connecting the shafts of the two floats, substantially asset forth.

3. Ina wave motQr thecOmbinationwith-a pairof oscillatingfloats havingashat't passing centrally through thesame of rigid lon- 1 gitudi-nal stay-bars-arranged'on opposite sides of the floatsand secured attheirends tothe shafts of the-floats, and a-transverse stay connectingsaidbars between the floats, substantially as setforth;

4. In-awave motor, the combination with an oscillatory float having a non-rotary supporting shaft providedwith a-fixed gear wheel,

of a rotary pinion engaging with said fixed having crank disks at its ends, and two sets of air compressors having their pistons connected with said crank disks, respectively, substantiallyas set forth. v

6. In a Wave motor, the combination with an oscillatory float having a non-rotary hollow shaft forming an air passage or chamber and having air inlet and outlet openings, annular air inlet and outlet chambers arranged on-the hollow shaft and communicating with its inlet and outlet openings, and air pipes connected with said annular chambers, substantially as set forth.

7. In a wave motor, the combination with a horizontal shaft, of an oscillatory fioat journaled centrally on said shaft, a guide wheel mounted on said shaft and an anchoring chain orcable passing over said guide wheel, whereby the fioat is anchored by means of its shaft and permitted to oscillate Without restraint, substantially as set forth.

7 FORD O. RUSLING.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. POPP, ELLA R. DEAN.

Witness my hand this 12th day of June, 

